This invention relates to covered trim panels, such as automotive door panels, that include foam cushions for a soft, luxurious feel and style lines for aesthetic appearance and more particularly to a method of making such trim panels.
Foam cushions and style lines are often combined in portions of an automotive door panel, typically in the upper portion of the door panel above an arm rest, because this area is easily seen and often touched.
One way to combine foam cushions and style lines in a particular area of an automotive door panel is by use of an insert that is made by dielectric fabrication techniques and attached to the automotive door panel. During manufacture, the foam cushion is placed on a dielectric board or other substrate which is compatible with the dielectric process, and then a soft, flexible trim material such as cloth, vinyl or leather is laid on top of the foam cushion. The cover material is then pushed against the dielectric board by a dielectric tool which compresses the foam cushion at the desired style line and bonds the cover material, the foam cushion and the dielectric board together.
One disadvantage of this method is that the method requires a dielectric board for a substrate which is relatively heavy when compared to structural urethane foam.
Another disadvantage of this method is that the method is relatively expensive from a manufacturing standpoint because the door panel and the insert are made in separate operations.
Still another disadvantage of this method is that the method is not practical and economical for producing an entire door panel that has only a selected area where the foam cushion and style lines are combined.
Still yet another disadvantage of this method is that the method cannot be used with a urethane substrate because urethane is not compatible with a dielectric process.